Episode 6 / Don't Rebuild the Ark

So I'm sitting at a breakfast table on a mission trip in a country where God isn't welcomed. Got couple guys sitting around the table with me, are pillars of the faith. They've been beaten for the faith, persecuted for simply just being Christians. Eating breakfast, looking at these guys, and the thought that runs through my head is like," Who? What am I doing here?" And then the Lord spoke to my heart and He said, "Don't rebuild the ark." And I'm like, "Thanks for speaking, but I don't know what that means." And then the Lord just began to uncover. "I called you to be you, who you are individually, before the foundation of the world.  You are my poiema, my masterpiece, Ephesians chapter two says. And I just want you to do what I've asked you to do. They have their lane. You have your lane. And staying in your lane is the best place that you could ever be."

So one of the aspects of our code is "Don't rebuild the ark."  What?  What does that mean?
We all face, "What do I do in ministry?" Or we might be looking out at somebody else and what they have done and thought, "Wow, that was an awesome move that God did. How do I do that?" Don't rebuild the ark means that God doesn't need another Noah. But what God wants is you. He created us individually, uniquely, purposefully to serve in His kingdom.

We've all been gifted by the Holy Spirit in our life and what we need to do, rather than just building another ark, is just a press into the Lord. Whatever He's asked us to do, whenever, however, just to serve him fully. When we go back into the scriptures in Hebrews chapter 11, we see a whole list of men and women that God individually used in their purpose.

God doesn't need another Abraham or a Sarah or a Noah, but what God wants is you. So how do I know what God wants me to do? I think there's a lot to be, can learn through the experiences of others. And I think we can glean from that and learn from that. But what we really need to do is glean from everything around us can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

But pray. Be in his word. And just see what happens. God just naturally does things all the time. When God called Abraham, it was, "Hey, I'm calling you out to leave your family. Go to another country." And then God led him along the way. When God called Moses, the burning bush. Completely different scenario, but God called him to go back to Egypt. He had a specific task. Each one of us have a specific task. So our job, just do life. Be a faithful Christian. Stay in the word of God, stay in prayer. Just keep moving forward. Keep flipping the page as you're moving through the Bible and growing, and God will uncover what He has for you.

Verses
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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